Fragile Fragments of Fate
by one-of-those-girls13
Summary: Before the Triskelion fiasco, the Winter Soldier escaped HYDRA captivity, desperate to solve the mystery of the one target he couldn't kill. But in a turn of events, he finds himself fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Avengers against a threat that has had it out for all of them from the very beginning, after all; Fate has never been in the favor of Earth's mightiest heroes.
1. The Kidnapping

**Hello everyone!  
** **This story takes place after the events of Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier. To clarify, Bucky escapes HYDRA before the Triskelion disaster, ergo Steve doesn't get shot multiple times and beat up by Bucky and can destroy project Insight without major problems. I have already written a huge chunk of this story so should this story get positive feedback I can update almost immediately. Without further ado, enjoy!**

* * *

Steve Rogers is not defined by his actions as Captain, not by his righteous opinions, his willingness to fight for everyone, no matter who that person is, no, he is defined by one action that is but so very telling. He jumped on that grenade, shielding his fellow trainees, half the men he is, not caring that it would mean his demise. What could we take from this? Most people would say that he is selfless, an idol and most definitely a hero. But James Buchanan Barnes was not everyone and he thought that his best friend is an idiot who doesn't appreciate all the work he had done to keep him alive. At the same time he loved him for it, after all, it was actions like these which made Steve well, Steve. He doesn't tell him that though and when he hears about it when they are finally reunited in the battlefields of Europe and Steve has gained a few pounds in a very good way he makes sure that he knows how unhappy he is about his reckless behaviour. But that was all so very long ago...

* * *

The Asset shot up, his hand already at a weapon before his eyes were even completely open. Focused he analysed every possible corner for a threat in the dump of an apartment he was staying in only to realize there is no threat to be feared. He frowned, what had awoken him? A brief flash of soft blue eyes and blond hair came to his mind but it passed as quick as it came. He shook his head, grabbed his few possessions and headed outside

The night before he had escaped the HYDRA facilities as one flashback after the other had pelted him after seeing that man on the bridge. Like a wounded animal he had holed up in the first place he could find. It had taken days for him to calm down and when he did, he promptly fell unconscious with exhaustion. When he woke up he was utterly confused and what he had seen in his flashbacks evaded him like a dream, the more he focused the less he remembered. One thing he knew: he needed to get to his previous target, Steve Rogers, he had to! The urgency grew the more time passed and so, hoping to relieve at least a bit of the confusion, he began tracking Captain America.

Meanwhile Steve was sitting in a dimly lit room, rubbing his eyes as he went over the information he had pertaining his former best friend for what felt like the millionth time.

"Maybe it's time you called it a night man. It's 3 a.m. I doubt we're gonna have an epiphany to his whereabouts any time soon." Sam sighed from the other side of the table they were sitting at.

Steve nodded but continued searching, sifting through the stacks of classified files. "Yeah I didn't think so... well I'm turning in, okay? Not every day you dismantle one of the greatest threats to humanity. See ya tomorrow." He yawned and headed down the corridor with a final wave Steve barely acknowledged.

The captain's mind was racing a million miles an hour, guilt, pain, hope and worry plaguing him. He couldn't help but wonder what he could have done differently, how he could have spared his friend the pain he had undoubtedly gone through. The look on the Winter Soldier's face when he had mentioned his name was etched into the back of his eyeballs. Was his friend even still in there? Was he salvageable or was he beyond the point of help and needed to be... he winced at the thought. Suddenly he stiffened, noticing that he was being watched. He immediately relaxed his posture again though and continued with his activities calmly. "You can come in you know."

The Winter Soldier didn't answer but stepped into the light, ready to fight at any given moment. Steve finally turned around, his eyes full of pain and longing, searching the assassin's body for wounds before finally reaching his face. He got up and started at the familiar face, a face that haunted his dreams and nightmares alike. But now it was rigid and emotionless and the eyes which had only ever held brotherly love and a spark of mischief in them were now dulled, dead almost, were it not for the confusion and pain that seeped through. Overcome by pain the usually so stoic man began to beg "Bucky... we can help you. Please..."

The soldier stepped back "I am not your friend, Captain."

"And I am not your enemy. Listen only what I have to say Bucky, please, and you may leave, I will not stop you."

"You knew me. Before I fell."

Steve's eyes widened, daring to hope even just a tiny bit. "You remember that? Yes I knew you, I fought at your side in that train but… I couldn't save you" he muttered the last words full of regret.

"Don't..." he shook his head and nearly growled. "You know too much Steve Rogers."  
Not giving Steve any time to react he took out his weapon and shot a dart laced with carfentanil, a strong elephant tranquilizer, into his neck. Steve dropped from his chair almost immediately, panic in his eyes before they slid shut. The Asset caught him before he hit the ground and without a noise he slid out the window with one extremely heavy supersoldier over his shoulder just as rain began to pour from the heavens above.


	2. The Kidnapping (2)

**Due to the first chapter being so short here is Chapter 2!**

* * *

Without making a noise the Winter Soldier cracked the lock of the luxurious apartment he had located. The security system was disabled in seconds with his human hand while the other still held Steve. The super soldier had still not woken but was breathing heavily and drooling all over his captor's clothes. Instead of revoking from him however the man gently laid Steve on the enormous bed in what he presumed, was the master bedroom.

Even though the Captain now stood at 6"2 (183cm) it made him look small and frail, especially when it was accompanied by pitiful wheezing sounds and a slump that indicated his sleep definitely wasn't natural. The Asset frowned; confused by the unfamiliar feelings of worry permeating his brain and so he let his instincts take over to deal with this unfamiliar situation.

He removed the captain's clothes which had gotten soaked on the way and grabbed a thick blanket to wrap it around his hostage. He faltered though when he saw an unfamiliar scar. He stopped and traced it with his human hand, imagining how painful it must have been and frowned in displeasure. He caught himself however and clenched his fists. He finished wrapping up the man in all the blankets he could find and started a fire in the grand fire place opposite the bed.

At least that was the plan. Irritated the assassin glared at the plastic fake fire. Who the f*** had thought this was a good idea? He found the switch and switched it on, hoping it would provide at least some warmth. Stevie needed warmth, with his asthma and the many colds he caught. Honestly, if there was one slightly sick man woman or child within 100 metres of him, he'd be lying in bed the next day, shaking with fever. He frowned, how did he know that? It seemed that so far his plan had caused more confusion instead of clearing things up.

He quickly bound the captain to the bed using pink fluffy handcuffs he had found in the closet drawer. Why would anyone need fluffy handcuffs was beyond the assassin but there were more pressing matters at hand: He needed to get food for his captive.

Without a moment's hesitation, he silently sped down to the neighboring apartment and stole all the food he could get his hands on. His arms already laden he quickly grabbed a bar of chocolate too, just in case. Back at the apartment he first checked in on his prisoner, who was still unconscious and drooling but who had finally stopped wheezing. This eased some of the discomfort he had felt and he prepared a meal for him mechanically, his mind purposefully empty as he cooked. He placed the dish on the nightstand before settling in a chair next to the bed. And so he waited.

* * *

The first thing Steve noticed when he finally regained consciousness was the unbearable heat smothering him, secondly the wet patch next to his head from his drool, thirdly the smell of... was that eggs and bacon? And last but not least he was naked aside for his boxers. Seeing no use in pretending to still be unconscious towards the highly trained asset he opened his eyes to the dimly lit room. He saw Bucky immediately and in spite of the situation smiled wistfully.

"Hey."

The greeting elicited no response out of the stone-faced man, but then Steve hadn't expected it to. The captain looked around in quiet wonder seeing the measures Bucky had gone to keep him warm, just as he had done when they were younger when he was still the poorly kid from Brooklyn.

"You did this... thank you, Bucky." he smiled reassuringly and started eating the dish that had been prepared for him. Under the watchful stare of his friend he finished it in record time, his heightened metabolism making him constantly in need for calories.

With the smell of the food now vanquished, he noticed a different smell which was emanating from Bucky. His heightened sense of smell made him want to wrinkle his nose when he smelt the sweat and other grime on his friend. Out of respect, he didn't make any indication he had noticed though and instead inquired about something that had been worrying him.

"Bucky, when was the last time you ate?"

The soldier didn't answer which in itself was answer enough for the hero who pursed his lips unhappily, resisting the urge to nag him to eat.

"If you are not going to talk will you at least listen? Since you haven't killed me I assume you want information from me. Would you like me to tell you about before you fell?"

The former sergeant nodded shortly which Steve marked as a win in his book. And so he began to reminisce about their childhood, striving for accuracy to stimulate memory. He couldn't help himself from smiling when he told him about the back-alley beatings, his stern but loving mother and their war buddies. It was bittersweet as he missed his loved ones and the simpler time dreadfully as he fought to regain the only thing that remained of his life before the ice, Bucky.


	3. Rescue attempts and attempted murder

**Hello! Just wanted to say, reviews are very much appreciated and so is constructive criticism. Should I make chapters longer, change certain things or simply give this up? Tell me!:)**

* * *

Meanwhile, Sam Wilson had noticed the disappearance of his best friend and had called for backup from anyone he could possibly think of. He searched through Steve's phone and found the numbers of Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Hawkeye, Bruce Banner and Thor.

He was surprised when the Norse god actually picked up and agreed to help recover "friend Steven" and his assurance he would be there momentarily. Tony had joked about the captain probably turning up soon enough, comparing him to a golden retriever puppy that had lost its way. Nevertheless, he had quickly acquired information he would need and ordered JARVIS to begin scanning local CCTV footage for any glimpse of "Capsicle" and the Winter Soldier.

Natasha and Hawkeye, who were on a mission together, had quickly agreed to convene with Sam, the phone call ending with what sounded suspiciously a neck being snapped ending the sounds of a fight in the background. Bruce Banner, however, seemed reluctant, unsure of his worth to the case but prepared to help when he could.

Before long Sam and Steve's hideout was filled by people who could kill a man in a million different ways, one worse than the next.  
Thor had arrived first dressed in what he deemed "appropriate Midgardian garb". It pretty much looked exactly like what Steve would wear, when he wasn't wearing his uniform, a way too small white t-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket. Natasha and Clint were both dressed in their battle outfits looking slightly tired but hiding it well. Tony had flown over in his suit laptop in hand, babbling in a constant stream with JARVIS in some kind of technical jargon Sam couldn't even hope to understand.

"So guys, thank you for coming…" Thor nodded and smiled grimly while Tony rolled his eyes.  
Slightly irritated Sam continued "Steve disappeared somewhere between 0300 and 0700. He left behind his phone, shield and uniform. The only thing that isn't accounted for is some documents about the Winter Soldier. Now our primary suspects are the Winter Soldier and/or HYDRA..."

"I have already checked all security cams in the surrounding area, nothing yet but JARVIS is still looking, widening the search parameters as far as necessary." Tony interrupted.

Sam now full on glared at the billionaire and continued "As I was saying, the lack of broken furniture indicate he was tranquilized. Here, I can pull up all Steve and I had found out about the Winter Soldier as well as Steve's notes on James Buchanan Barnes. Natasha, Clint it would be great if you could ask around if anyone might know or have heard something."

Thor, who was reading the information provided with avid attention, spoke up, clearly distracted. "He is not in mortal danger. Or at least he is not under that impression."

Tony frowned "How do you know that?" Thor looked up to him and showed them a medallion hung around his neck, a miniature version of the Cap's shield surrounded by Norse patterns with runes engraved in gold hanging from it. "It would tell me."

Scientific curiosity woke in Tony but Thor quickly tucked it under his robes before he could touch it. Clint spoke up looking utterly confused "What is it?"

"I got it made when I took Steve to Asgard to represent Midgard in a crucial meeting. I have it so I can help the Captain should the need arise." Thor replied, avoiding the Avenger's eyes and instead deciding to look at his hands.

While Tony was still trying to grasp the fact that Steve had represented Earth and who the hell had decided that, Sam quietly asked Thor "Does Steve know you have this?"

Thor lightly shook his head and didn't look in Sam's eyes. "Man of Iron, I picked Steve as it was the logical pick. He is the ideal human in physical as well as moral aspects as well as the fastest choice. Should I have gone to your governments it would have taken years for them to pick a candidate. Apart from that, the Asgardians wanted to meet him"

Natasha nodded "He's right, Tony. Come on, let's focus on finding him." Indignantly Tony went back to work on his computer and hours would pass before they should talk again.

* * *

Steve talked until he went hoarse and he desperately needed to move. The Winter Soldier had mostly not shown any signs of recognition but Steve saw he had felt something when he told him about his family, about the days they spent together, the many times they had saved each other.

He held up one cuff "Buck, I need to use the restroom. Let me up? "

The assassin nodded and uncuffed him before frog marching him to the bathroom.  
And exactly in that moment, what must be the unluckiest man to have ever walked this earth, the owner of the apartment, decided to come home. Then everything seemed to unravel in slow motion.

The Winter Soldier attempted to push his captive behind him while grabbing a throwing knife and throwing it directly at the poor wealthy man who hadn't even perceived the threat yet. But before the knife could hit its mark, it embedded itself in Steven Roger's chest. He had thrown himself in front of the innocent man and now lay crumpled together on the wooden floor. The Asset fell onto his knees next to his target and turned him over to inspect the injury. He quickly pulled out the knife and applied pressure as blood gushed out of the wound but Steve wasn't even looking at him.

With the intensity of a dying man Steve said one word to the rich man before his world went black _"Run."_


End file.
